In the early morning hours last Saturday, singer-songwriter Roger Harvey announced his latest project: the Gold EP, a quick and lively collection of three new roots-tinged indie rock songs, plus a re-recorded version of the song “Gold” from his 2017 album Two Coyotes.

The late night timing of the news was very intentional — Harvey tells us it was “to remind myself that I can create something and put it into the world at any time. I feel that sometimes as artists we lose sight of how easy that is to do on our own as we try to seek approval from others and conform to antiquated systems of marketing. Many of which don’t seem to really hold up any longer.”

And now here we are, 168 hours (or exactly seven days) later, and we have more from Harvey: an exclusive early listen to the EP. Continue reading →

For someone coming from the world of amped-up punk rock, Roger Harvey‘s music is decidedly low-key and reflective.

The singer-songwriter relocated to Philly from Pittsburgh about three years ago, following stints touring with Against Me!, Dads and The Menzingers. His debut LP, Twelve Houses, was released that October, and it set introspective lyrics to lush acoustic arrangements in the vein of Neutral Milk Hotel and Death Cab for Cutie, with his haunting and tremulous vocal taking center stage.

Almost two years later, Harvey returned with a more outer-directed perspective on the Two Coyotes LP. This time, rather than personal ruminations, he tackles bigger-picture issues; immigration is unpacked in the title track, which tells a story of love across borders, while superconnected isolation is the focus of “Love In The Digital Age.” You can hear anger and frustration, albeit in a subdued manner, on “Gold,” which opens his studio session this week — when he sings “fuck the foundation, we’re in control,” it’s one of the prettiest punk rock moments we’ve captured in the studio. Continue reading →

The basement of the First Unitarian Church has been home to members of the Philly punk scene for longer than anyone can remember. But occasionally, when a show calls for a quieter, more intimate sound, musicians emerge from the basement hall and into the chapel itself — the church-y part of the Church, if you will.

That’s just what Roger Harvey plans to do next month — in fact, he’s reserved the Church’s smallest performance space, the side chapel, for a solo show with a stacked opening lineup of local musicians. The show, happening April 20, comes as the latest installment of the Roger Harvey & Family tour, which has previously made stops in Pittsburgh and Chicago with different “family” members joining for each lineup. Continue reading →

Since Roger Harvey traversed from Pittsburgh to Philly a few years back, he’s been known in the scene for his punk tunes — touring with the likes of The Menzingers, Cayetana, and Against Me!. But today, he’s shaking that notion up with the release of a new track titled “Two Coyotes.” Sans searing guitar and driven, poppy hooks, the new track is an intimate folk-rock breed that blends together the best of the two genres, and highlights Harvey’s intricate storytelling abilities. Continue reading →

File this under “circle of friends gets mellow.” Roger Harvey, the Scranton-bred, Philly-based singer-songwriter in the vein of Neutral Milk Hotel who released his fine debut LP Twelve Houses last year just announced his first major Philly show since that record dropped. He’ll be headlining the side chapel of the First Unitarian Church on Friday, May 20th – and is joined by a pretty great supporting cast of friends from up and down the Northeast Extension. Continue reading →

Roger Harvey is a Philly-via-Pittsburgh artist who has a definitive and almost instantly likable style, one which many have compared to bands like Bright Eyes, Neutral Milk Hotel and Manchester Orchestra (yeah, not half bad).

Harvey’s debut LP Twelve Houses was a beautifully written and expertly produced output full of intricate arrangements. But for local video series Static Sessions he decided to take one of the album’s more impressive moments, “Halloween,” and strip it down to its core. Continue reading →

He’s toured with Against Me!, The Menzingers and Dads over the last year, and now Roger Harvey will step out on his own with the debut of Twelve Houses. The album will be out October 9th via Black Numbers and we have the premiere of “Lovers Can Be Monsters” today.

Whether residing or just passing through, the singer-songwriter and guitarist has been all around these United States — many of the places that pop up in her songs, like Portland and Nashville and New York — and for the past year and change, she’s called Philadelphia home. The concept of “home” in some ways is a bit nebulous, though, since Goldsworthy is always on the go. Continue reading →

About The Key

Philadelphia: Home to a rich musical history, a unique musical identity, and one of the nation's most thriving musical communities. In a scene filled with so many local bands worth listening to, there will always be new music to discover—and The Key is your source for finding it. Brought to you by WXPN—the non-commercial public radio station that World Cafe, XPN2, and XPoNential Music Festival call home—The Key covers all local music in Greater Philly and beyond.GET IN TOUCH

Support The Key

What do you think?

Did you find what you were looking for? Was this page helpful?
Let us know

About The Key

Philadelphia: Home to a rich musical history, a unique musical identity, and one of the nation's most thriving musical communities. In a scene filled with so many local bands worth listening to, there will always be new music to discover—and The Key is your source for finding it. Brought to you by WXPN—the non-commercial public radio station that World Cafe, XPN2, and XPoNential Music Festival call home—The Key covers all local music in Greater Philly and beyond.GET IN TOUCH